> I know this comes up every now and then, and usually is (suposedly) caused
> by bugs in the firmware making it impossible to boot from some parts of
> the disk - I've seen that before and always was able to recover by copying
> the kernel(s) again.
> 
> This time it is pretty persistent:
> 
> Rebooting with command: boot
> Boot device: /isa/ide/disk@0:\netbsd.aout  Arguments: 
> Data Abort
> ok boot disk:\netbsd.aout.old
> DNARD Rev. 5, 08:00:2b:81:62:5e , 96 MB memory
> Open Firmware  Built February 25, 1998 17:19:25
> Copyright 1997 FirmWorks  All Rights Reserved
> 
> Rebooting with command: boot disk:\netbsd.aout.old
> Boot device: /isa/ide/disk@0:\netbsd.aout.old  Arguments: 
> [ Kernel symbol table missing! ]
> Copyright (c) 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003
>     The NetBSD Foundation, Inc.  All rights reserved.
> Copyright (c) 1982, 1986, 1989, 1991, 1993
>     The Regents of the University of California.  All rights reserved.
> 
> NetBSD 1.6ZF (DROWSY) #2: Sat Nov 29 18:02:52 CET 2003
> 	martin@night-porter.duskware.de:/usr/src/sys/arch/shark/compile/DROWSY
> 
> 
> and I made sure the kernels end up early on the disk:
> 
> ls -lisa /netbsd*
>  3 1512 -rwxr-xr-x  1 root  wheel  1539899 Dec 10 21:44 /netbsd*
>  5 1424 -rwxr-xr-x  1 root  wheel  1447034 Dec 10 21:44 /netbsd.aout*
>  7 1392 -rwxr-xr-x  1 root  wheel  1414744 Nov 29 18:23 /netbsd.aout.old*
> 11 1480 -rwxr-xr-x  1 root  wheel  1502937 Nov 29 18:23 /netbsd.old*
> 
> So, have I just been unlicky a few times in a row or is the -current kernel
> realy broken?
> 
> Martin

I don't recall ever seeing this on my shark.  How large a disk do you 
have?  And what is the geometry of the root partition?

My firmware is dated September 04, 1998; it's one CGD made available to me.

R.